Strap roller

ABSTRACT

A device for supplying heavy duty strapping for use in a cargo area. The device includes a housing, a two-way motor supported within the housing having a shaft for paying out, winding and storing the heavy duty strapping and a magnet affixed to the housing and sized to releaseably affix the device to a magnetically attractable support.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application relies upon U.S. Provisional Application Ser.No. 61/029,525 filed on Feb. 18, 2008.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention involves a device for supplying heavy dutystrapping for use in retaining cargo in such environments such as thecargo area of a vehicle. The device is powered by a two-way motor forpaying out and withdrawing the strapping and is releaseably affixed tothe cargo area by affixing the device to a magnetically attractablesurface thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Heavy duty straps are commonly used in manufacturing, transporting andstoring a variety of products. Equipment such as trailers or containersmay be equipped with these straps to stabilize the loads being carried.To be effective, there must often be several straps that reach acrossthe entire length of the load at different locations. The straps must besturdy enough to withstand the loads they bare. The straps must also belong enough to span the entire length of the load. As a result, thesestraps are often long and heavy, and may often become intertwined withother straps.

The process of coiling these lengthy and heavy straps after usage maytake considerable time and effort. There is therefore a need forproducts that may simplify and expedite the process of coiling thestraps. These products must be powerful and convenient. These productsmust also be portable enough to handle the wide variety of straparrangements needed to handle a diversity of load configurations.

Several prior art approaches have addressed the consumers' desire forstrap rollers. For example, some prior art strap rollers use manualcranks as coiling devices. One end of the strap is attached to a roller.The user then turns a hand crank to turn the roller, coiling the strapas the crank and roller turn. These devices provide an alternative tocoiling straps by hand, but may be inconvenient, laborious and timeconsuming. Examples of these strap rollers appear in the following U.S.Pat. Nos., which are incorporated herein by reference for theirsupporting teaching: U.S. Pat. No. 6,729,604 to Claycomb; U.S. Pat. No.6,206,317 to Harverstine; U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,454 to Potter; and U.S.Pat. No. 5,603,589 to Regal.

Another approach uses a cranking system that utilizes an external powersource. These devices use a cranking system similar to the manualcranks. These devices, however, offer the option of using an externalmotor as a power source. The user attaches one end of the strap to thecoiling device. The user then attaches the device to an external motorand the motor turns the roller and coils the strap. The use of motorsmakes these devices less laborious and time consuming than manualcranks. However, the need for an external power source still makes thesedevices inconvenient and limits their portability This approach appearsin U.S. Pat. No. 7,059,588 to Goulet and U.S. Pat. No. 6,467,755 toReilly, which are incorporated herein by reference to for theirsupporting teachings.

Yet another approach uses a handheld, powered coiler. This approachappears in U.S. Pat. No. 4,588,167 to Finzel, which is incorporatedherein by reference for its supporting teachings. This product combinesa small motor with a crank to make one unified coiling device. The userattaches one end of the strap to the spool. The user then holds thedevice as the motor turns the spool and coils the strap. This device ismore portable and convenient than coilers that use an external powersource. This device is also more expedient and convenient than manualcranks. However, the coiling process may still be laborious and timeconsuming because of the need for the user to hold the device while itcoils. This device also lacks the ideal stability and convenience neededfor working with heavy straps.

Traditionally, devices of this nature have been affixed to key locationswithin or approximate a cargo area for retaining and stabilizing cargotherein. In doing so, mounting plates are provided for the passage ofcarriage bolts and the like resulting in permanently established fixedlocations for these coilers. Although a permanent anchoring systemprovides a secure framework for paying out, winding and storing heavystrapping, such an arrangement is not without its drawbacks. Forexample, holes must be crafted within or proximate to the cargo areathus defacing such support structure. Further, although a fixed locationfor a coiler may be ideal in some situations, when loads change, it maybe preferable to have such devices in different locations. Fixing thedevices permanently, such as at a fixed location within the side wall ofa vehicle reduces flexibility and thus utility of such coilers.

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a devicecapable of paying out, withdrawing and supporting heavy strapping thatcan be repositioned at will while retaining the utilitarian benefits ofthe prior art.

These objects will be more readily apparent when considering thefollowing disclosure and appended claims.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A device for supplying heavy duty strapping for use in a cargo area. Thedevice includes a housing, a two-way motor supported within the housinghaving a shaft for paying out, winding and storing the heavy dutystrapping and a magnet affixed to the housing and sized to releaseablyaffix the device to a magnetically attractable support.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a front plan view of the device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side plan view of the device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a cargo vehicle having the presentinvention used thereon.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As noted, the present invention involves a device for supplying heavyduty strapping for use in retaining cargo FIG. 1 is a front plan view ofsuch a device whereby device 10 includes mounting plate 11 and, spacedtherefrom, motor plate 14. As such in phantom, the present deviceincludes a motor housing 15 containing a two-way motor for turning spool23 (FIG. 2) for paying out, winding and storing heavy duty strapping ofthe type generally employed for tying down and retaining cargo.

Turning to FIG. 2, the device of FIG. 1 is shown in side view. Again,motor housing 15 is supported between mounting plate 11 and motor plate14 and held in place by B type connectors 21.

Emanating through axle hole 13 (FIG. 1) is axle 22 in the form of ashaft extending from the two-way motor. In its preferred embodiment,axle 22 fits within spool 23 within centrally configured bore 26. Spoolmounting hole 24 is provided for receiving a threaded member (not shown)for securing axle 22 within bore 26. It is upon spool 23 that heavy dutystrapping is wound.

When motor within motor housing 15 is employed to cause axle 22 torotate in one direction, heavy duty strapping winds upon spool 23. Whenswitch 12 is set in an opposite orientation, motor within housing 15causes axle 22 to spin in an opposite direction thus enabling spool 23to pay out heavy duty strapping as needed.

As noted previously, devices of this type generally include, withintheir mounting plates, various holes for permanently retaining thedevice to a side wall or similar support positioned proximate the cargoarea. This not only defaces the cargo area but also limits theflexibility of the device as its repositioning is either cumbersome orimpossible carry out.

The present invention solves this impediment by providing magnet 25(FIG. 2) affixed to mounting plate 11. The magnet can be affixed to themounting plate either by magnetic attraction or by passing a boltthrough the magnet and through the mounting plate as desired. In doingso, the device can be repositioned anywhere within or proximate to asuitable cargo area as long as it is appended to a magneticallyattractable support. An illustration of this is found in FIG. 3.

Turning to FIG. 3, vehicle 30 is shown in the form of a cargo vehiclehaving a cargo area 50 positioned behind cab 55. Internal cargoreceiving area 35 is shown in which devices 40 and 41 have beenarbitrarily attached to side wall 51 through the use of magnets 38 and39. Typically, side wall 51 would be made of metal such that magnets 38and 39 would readily affix devices 40 and 41 thereto. Devices 40 and 41are composed not only of magnets 38 and 39 but also of housings 31 and32 from which spools 36 and 37 emanate. As noted previously, thesespools are directly coupled to two-way motors contained within motorhousings and within devices 40 and 41. Heavy duty strapping 33 and 34 isselectively wound upon spools 36 and 37 such that upon actuation ofmotors, strapping 33 and 34 can be caused to pay out from spools 36 and37 across cargo area 35 only to attach either by hooks or other means tothe opposite side wall of body 50. Again, because devices 40 and 41 areheld to side wall 51 by magnetic attraction, it is quite easy for thesedevices to be repositioned on other walls or their height changed orfurther devices added to or subtracted from the tie down matrix in orderto optimally strap down loads while not resulting in any defacement ofthe truck body.

It is further noted that a motor contained within housing 15 can bepowered by running lines 9 (FIG. 1) to the electrical service of vehicle30. Such 12 volt service could conveniently be employed to power thepresent devices without need for external power sources of any kind.

1. A device for supplying heavy duty strapping for use in retainingcargo, said device comprising a housing, a two-way motor supportedwithin said housing having a shaft for paying out, winding and storingsaid heavy duty strapping and a magnet affixed to said housing and sizedto releaseably affix said device to a magnetically attractable support.2. The device of claim 1 wherein said housing is releaseably affixed tosaid magnetically attractable support by said magnet proximate a cargoarea for selectively paying out said heavy duty strapping forselectively retaining said cargo therein.
 3. In the combination of avehicle having a cargo area and a device for supplying heavy dutystrapping whereby said device comprises a housing, two-way motorsupported within said housing and a shaft for paying out, winding andstoring said heavy duty strapping for selectively retaining cargo withinsaid cargo area, the improvement comprising a magnet affixed to saidhousing and sized to releaseably affix said device to a magneticallyattractable surface of said vehicle.
 4. The combination of claim 3wherein said motor is powered by said vehicle.